A Universal Constant
by Pir8grl
Summary: For all the folks who wanted to read more about 'alternate Snart.' With thanks to stillthewordgirl for helping this to make sense outside of my own head.
1. Chapter 1

_**"It's the things I didn't do that keep me up at night."**_

Sara groaned and flopped over onto her back, knowing sleep would elude her, following that dream. She scrubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, then swung her legs over the side of the bunk.

They hadn't even intended to be in Central City that day, so no one was expecting it when Sara strolled into STAR Labs. He'd been perched on the edge of a table, Caitlin checking his vitals. Sara had stopped dead in her tracks, then sprung forward, hand outstretched, eyes shining, and cheeks flushed pink. His name had fallen from her lips like a prayer.

He had flinched back, as if struck, face deathly pale. That still stung, even after the explanations. It still hurt to have him-but not-him-so near, because of course they'd taken him aboard the Waverider. The team couldn't very well leave someone who was the image of one of CC's most wanted, complete with a host of old enemies with scores to settle, to wander the city unprotected. Team Flash couldn't babysit him all the time.

And of course, he was in the galley, when she wandered in in search of hot cocoa. (With marshmallows, of course.) Thoughts of warm chocolaty goodness evaporated when Sara saw him seated at a table, mug within reach as he sketched something in his book. This Snart drank black coffee at unholy hours.

She moved silently, out of habit, and he was not yet aware of her presence. Her Leonard had been nearly impossible to sneak up on. Sara was surprised to see that he wasn't drawing building plans or schematics, but rather a person. A very specific person. Her. Or…well maybe his version of her. It was hard to tell from a distance and upside down, so she sidled a bit closer.

The sketch was an action shot, captured from memory-a Sara fighting with a baton in each hand. It was her-not his own lost version, but her.

Another step, and her shadow fell across his field of vision. He quickly shut the sketchbook and glanced up. "Can't sleep, Captain?"

Sara shrugged, "I seldom do." _Anymore._ "And I've told you -"

He held up a hand placatingly. "I know. I'm sorry. It's just…difficult, when you look so much like her."

"I should go."

Surprisingly, he stood and caught her hand before she could turn away. "Please, let me explain? Or try to?" A crooked little smile tugged at his lips. "Besides, it's your ship."

"It's your ship, too, now."

"I suppose."

Sara stepped over to the replicator to claim her beverage, then sat down across from him, warming her cold fingers on the mug. Leonard smiled tolerantly at the mound of marshmallows that threatened to overflow the cup.

"Your Leonard-he was a criminal, wasn't he?" At Sara's nod, he continued, "Did he ever lie to you?"

"To me? No. I mean, I certainly know he was capable of it, but he never lied to me."

"She did. My Sara, I mean. At first, I was just another mark. She needed information about the museum's new wing in order to stage a break-in. Who better to ask than the guy who designed it? And I fell for it. I mean…someone who looks like her-you-what the hell would you want with someone like me?"

Her Leonard had never looked quite so sad and lost, and Sara wasn't entirely sure how to handle that, so she chose to deflect slightly. "You said, 'at first.'"

Leonard sighed and removed his glasses to rub his eyes wearily.

"Yeah. She told me, finally, who and what she was, but she swore that her…feelings…were genuine. But she was in too deep with a couple of bad partners. I still wonder if that fall was really an accident."

He stared at her searchingly. "It hurts, that you're so much like her, and so different, at the same time."

"I know what you mean," Sara replied, taking a sip of her cocoa.

Leonard automatically reached across the table with a napkin to wipe a smudge of marshmallow from the corner of her mouth. He froze and apologized a second later.

Sara laughed. "It's fine. Look, I never knew your Sara, and you never knew my Leonard, but I do know that people change. I don't know if it makes it better or worse to believe that she really did love you, at the end."

"Neither do I."

Leonard moved to put his glasses back on, but Sara stopped him with gentle hands. "If you ever wonder how someone could be attracted to you, take a good look in the mirror. You have the most amazing eyes. Anyone who can't take the time to appreciate that doesn't deserve the rest of you."

Sara glanced at him speculatively from under her lashes. Her expression was heartbreakingly familiar, and his breath caught in his throat. But where his Sara's eyes would have been coolly calculating, hers were filled with mischief. The difference made him feel a bit giddy.

"Tell me, Leonard," she drawled, "do you play cards?"

"I - I don't know how," he stuttered. "But…I think I'd like to learn."


	2. Chapter 2

Sara heard a muffled curse, followed by the sound of ceramic shattering against the wall as she approached the galley.

"Mr. Snart, I would appreciate it if you would find some other outlet -"

"Enough, Gideon," Sara said as she entered the room. "I got this."

"Yes, Captain."

Sara surveyed the man sitting with his head resting in his hands, the splash of black coffee dripping down the wall, and the shards of a mug scattered on the floor. She grabbed a couple of towels and set about cleaning up the mess in silence.

"I'm sorry, Captain," Snart finally muttered. "That was childish of me. I should -"

"Don't worry about it," Sara assured him, then hissed as she snagged her thumb on a broken piece of his mug.

He was out of his seat instantly, taking her hand to examine the small cut, and leading her over to the sink to wash away the blood.

"Wanna tell me what's wrong?" Sara asked, as he held her hand under the cold running water.

He exhaled heavily. "I'm not him."

"I know."

"Do you? You all say that, but Mick doesn't understand that I have no interest in stealing things, and the people that I do seem to have some common ground with won't speak to me, because evidently the Leonard Snart from this earth was not educated to their exacting standards. And then…"

"And then there's me."

"Yeah." He shut off the water and examined her hand carefully. "Looks like the bleeding's stopped."

"It's fine," Sara assured him. She smiled a little at the way he held her hand so carefully, finally releasing it with a little caress.

"Sit. Please. I'll finish cleaning up my mess."

"All right."

"What was he like?"

"He may not have had a degree, but he was incredibly intelligent, and a meticulous planner. He was a thief, but he died a hero. He was one of the bravest people I ever met. He didn't let people in easily, but when he did, he loved them fiercely."

"And you were one of those people?"

"Maybe. I think we were headed there. Guess we'll never know."

Leonard gathered up the remains of the mug and tossed them in the trash recycler, then washed his hands.

"What was she like?" Sara asked curiously.

"Absolutely fearless, though reckless or impulsive might be better terms. I suppose I was an easy mark. She would turn up in the middle of the day and say 'Let's play hooky.' I was so besotted, I didn't even realize what she was up to, until she told me." His voice had turned very bitter, towards the end.

"Sounds like me, before the Gambit," Sara said thoughtfully. "I guess she never grew out of it."

"Maybe. I do think she might have loved me though, at the end. It was…her smile. When I first met Sara, she had this sort of wise-ass smirk. But as we grew closer, sometimes I'd get a real smile, and it was glorious. Maybe it's foolish, but I like to think that was the real Sara."

"It's not foolish at all."

He moved to the replicator, then joined Sara at the table with two cups, one of which he slid across to her.

"You're gonna drink that, right? Not try and redecorate my ship with it?"

"I'll be on my best behavior. Scout's honor."

Sara looked at him speculatively over the rim of her cup. "You were a scout?"

"Hell, no. I was nerd."

"Ray was a nerd. And a scout."

"Well, let's just say, I didn't grow up with Ray's advantages." He looked down into his coffee, which, unsurprisingly, did not hold the answers to the universe in its depths. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Your Leonard died. So how come…"

"How come I tried to fling myself at you the first time I saw you?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, not that I minded the flinging. Except -"

"Except for the part where I look just like your dead girlfriend. OK, lemme see if I can explain. Leonard died in a place that exists outside of time. A lot of the normal rules don't apply there. That, and the fact that I have seen so many things that no sane person would believe. I saw you, and well…"

"You still have hope. Hope is a good thing."

"And it's a thing that you didn't get to have, because your Sara died in an accident."

"Your friends don't seem to understand why I -we - don't just…"

"My friends need to mind their own business," Sara said firmly.

"Does it sound very terrible to say that you might actually be more…compatible with me than she was?"

"No. But you don't know me all that well, yet. Your Sara was a thief. I was an assassin."

"Was. Now you're a hero."

"Some people say so. Look, I know it sounds weird to say, when we've both ran out of time with someone we cared about, but I think we need to take the time to make sure that we're doing…whatever it is we're doing…for the right reasons. Does that even make sense?"

"It does. I want very much to get to know you, and see where that takes us."

Sara's mouth quirked in a crooked little smile. "Me too."

They both grabbed the table for support as the ship suddenly shuddered.

"Captain Lance -"

"On my way, Gideon." She glanced back at Leonard from the doorway. "Come on. You're part of this crew, too."


	3. Chapter 3

Sara Lance stormed aboard the Waverider, angrily swiping away blood that was oozing from a cut above her eye.

"Captain Lance, if you and Mr. Snart will proceed to the medbay-"

"Shut it, Gideon!" Sara snapped.

Leonard looked as though he wanted to say something, but wisely pressed his lips together into a firm line instead, and tried not to limp.

"Sara, he was just trying to help," Jax offered.

"You and I are going to have a long talk about securing weapons," Sara promised.

The younger man stopped and turned back to face her. "No, actually, we're not. He's a member of this crew, too, and he needs to be able to defend himself."

"'He' is standing right here," Leonard reminded them.

Sara glared at them both and spun on her heel and headed into the medbay.

"She'll come around," Jax said halfheartedly.

Leonard just grunted noncommittally.

"Get that ankle fixed, and in a couple days we'll work with the guns, find one that suits you."

"How come you're nice to me, kid?" Leonard asked, in a tone eerily reminiscent of his counterpart.

Jax heaved a heavy sigh. "The other you looked out for me."

"Great. Thanks."

"No. Wait. It's…the other you was a good guy, but you had to get through a lot of crap to see it. You…it's like you got the good guy part of him, without the jackass part. I know it's not that simple, but it's just…"

"It's hard."

"Yeah."

Leonard clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. "Thanks, Jax."

* * *

Leonard was still amazed at the technology of the Waverider. He stood, gingerly testing his weight on his battered ankle, and was surprised to feel no pain whatsoever. "That's incredible," he muttered.

"I would advise against strenuous activity for the next twenty-four hours, Mr. Snart," Gideon reminded him.

"OK. Thanks."

He turned his attention to Sara, who was washing away blood from her own now-healed wounds. "Sara?" he said tentatively.

She whirled angrily. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that there were six of them and one of you," he began, his own ire rising. "I was thinking that I'd watched her die once already, and I couldn't watch it happen again."

Some of the anger seemed to drain out of her. "You…you're not a fighter. You could have been killed."

"So teach me."

"What?"

"Teach me how to fight, because I am not going to stand by and watch you die."

Leonard was standing directly in front of her now, and he cupped her face in his hands, thumbs stroking over her cheekbones, so gently. Sara blinked past a shimmer of tears. _**Her**_ Snart had never been so openly tender. He'd cared about her, certainly, but he'd never looked at her like she was the most precious thing in his world. Maybe he might have gotten there, someday, but…

The Leonard in front of her leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. He pulled back and stared into her eyes for a long, long moment, then dropped his hands and turned to go.

He was nearly to the door before Sara found her voice. "Gideon. Let me know when Leonard is cleared to begin fight training."

"Of course, Captain."

Leonard looked back over his shoulder and grinned.

Sara drew in a quick breath. His counterpart would have smirked, or winked. It was another little piece of information that her heart filed for future reference - another bit of evidence that this Leonard was, indeed, a very different man. She found herself looking forward to discovering more of those differences.


	4. Chapter 4

_**For the ficcingcaptaincanary prompt "Falling."**_

Music faded out as Leonard's door slid open.

Sara tipped her head to one side quizzically. "Elvis? Really?"

Leonard smiled faintly as he leaned back in the desk chair. "It seems that some things are consistent between worlds. And it was my mother's favorite."

"Mine was more of a Stones girl."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

Sara began to pace the small room.

"Something on your mind, Captain?"

Sara stopped fidgeting abruptly and turned to face him. "We've heard from Cisco. He thinks he's figured out which Earth you're from. And how to send you back."

Leonard stared hard at the top of his desk for a long, long moment. "I see," he finally replied. "And do I…have any say in the matter?"

"Of course you do!"

"Are you sure?" he asked gently, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because I've heard an awful lot of talk about protecting timelines, and time aberrations, and anachronisms."

"You are not an anachronism or an aberration. You're a person, and no one is going to make you go anywhere you don't want to go."

"You sound awfully certain."

Sara looked down at her feet. "One of the reasons we were recruited for this mission in the first place is that we're all people that history forgets. Our presence or absence makes no difference to the timeline."

"I see. So there's really no reason why I can't go back where I belong and be unremarkable there."

"If…if that's what you want," Sara muttered, in the general direction of the floor.

Leonard got to his feet. He moved with graceful economy, but not the well-honed stealth of his doppelganger. She heard him coming. He stopped just in front of Sara, and lifted her chin with gentle fingers.

"And what do you want?"

"I want you."

"Me, or him?"

"You. I want…you…to show me more paintings, just because you think they're beautiful, and take me dancing, and…"

Leonard bent his head and kissed her softly. "I'm glad. I can't imagine any universe where I wouldn't fall for you. And I don't want to go back to a world where you're not." One side of his mouth quirked up in a playful little grin. "And as for dancing…Gideon?"

"Of course, Mr. Snart."

He slid his arms carefully around Sara's waist as the AI's voice was replaced by Elvis's mellow tones once more.


	5. Chapter 5

_**For the ficcingcaptaincanary prompt "Space Alone."**_

Sara Lance was many things - world class assassin, time ship captain, hero…and lousy patient. Which was why she preferred to suffer in private. She handed off temporary command to Jax, and holed up in her quarters, long enough ago for Leonard to be concerned. Concerned enough to disregard the others' warnings and enter Sara's room armed with tea and a plate of sliced fruit.

Leonard set his tray on the desk and approached the bunk quietly, not wanting to disturb her if she was sleeping. However, he couldn't repress a chuckle at the sight of the blanket burrito occupying the bunk. It took him a minute to figure out which end was which.

"Sara?"

"Mmmff…"

Leonard reached for the edge of the blanket nearest the tangle of blonde hair - and had to dodge back from a flailing fist.

"Stop that! I want to see if you've got a fever."

The fist retracted back into the nest of blankets. "G'way."

"Nope. You're stuck with me." He succeeded in laying a hand against her cheek, which was warm, but not disturbingly so.

Sara tried to squirm away. "What part of 'leave me alone' do you not understand?"

"I've been leaving you alone. You're still sick. I'd like to get you un-sick."

"S'a stupid virus. Leave me alone so I can sleep it off."

"Captain," Gideon chimed in, "I feel compelled to point out that ingesting fluids and nutrients can only aid your recovery."

"Will both of you just go away?" She _**didn't**_ whine. A former League of Assassins member had far too much dignity for that.

Leonard sighed theatrically. "Well, thank you for you effort, Gideon. I guess I'll just have to eat these lovely, ripe strawberries myself. The melon, too. I wouldn't want your hard work to go to waste."

The lump under the covers wriggled around until Sara's face was peering out of her cocoon. "You brought me strawberries?"

"I did."

"Well…I guess you can stay."


	6. Chapter 6

_**This follows the events of One More Day to Stay.**_

* * *

Leonard blinked his eyes open to reveal the somewhat blurry medbay of the Waverider. He had a brief moment to wonder vaguely what he was doing there, and where his glasses were, before he found himself on the receiving end of a typically fierce Sara Lance hug.

"Sara - what?" he mumbled.

"Welcome home, squire," Constantine greeted him jovially.

"Why am I here?"

"Your soul went for a bit of a wander, mate. Nothin' to worry about."

"It sounds like something to worry about," Leonard replied.

"John?" Sara asked, a world of questions in that one word.

"Absolutely no malevolent forces at work here. Our lad was in need of a bit of reassurance, so to speak. So were some other - shall we say - like-minded individuals. It's entirely possible he might have found his own way back, but he's home, and no harm done."

Sara, who'd ended up partly sprawled over Leonard in the medical chair, pulled back slightly to study his face. "Do you remember anything?"

"We were watching a movie, and you fell asleep."

He smiled a bit at the memory. Sara was usually such a bundle of frenetic energy, but having her tucked into his side brought about a wave of drowsy contentment. He'd settled them both more comfortably into the couch cushions, and kissed the top of her head.

"I was wondering how I got so lucky, I guess. The next thing, I'm waking up here."

Sara glanced to Constantine.

"Sounds about right."

"When I woke up, you were asleep, and I couldn't wake you. Neither could Gideon. There was nothing wrong with you, physically, but we couldn't wake you." She looked down for a moment, and when she met Leonard's gaze again, her eyes were shining suspiciously. "I thought…I can't lose anyone else…I can't…lose…you."

"Hey -" He moved to sit up, then groaned as the room whirled around him.

Sara caught his shoulders. "John? Gideon?"

"Mr. Snart appears to be in perfect health," Gideon recited yet again.

"My head feels like the one and only time I got drunk in college," Leonard said.

"I've never seen you drink much at all," Sara replied.

"Yup. That would be why."

"According to Mr. Snart's blood analysis, he has not imbibed any alcohol recently."

"Magical hangover, mate," Constantine said sympathetically. "I recommend breakfast in bed…or somethin' else in bed might do the trick just as well."

The glare Sara turned on him was positively murderous.

"I was you, I'd start running now," Jax advised, appearing in the doorway. "Got a protein shake for you, Leonard. A chocolate one. Gideon thought it might be good to put a little something in your stomach before you try to walk back to your room."

"Thanks, Jax."

The young mechanic grinned. "I'm really glad you're OK."

"Likewise," Leonard replied, accepting the glass and taking a cautious sip through the straw.

"Let me know if you need anything."

"We will," Sara assured him. "Thanks, little brother."

She turned to Constantine, who had ignored Jax's sage advice regarding a strategic withdrawal. "Why do I feel like you know more than you're letting on?"

"I know a great many more things than I let on, love, most of which would turn even your hair white. But the truth is, nothing bad happened to your fellow."

Sara opened her lips to reply, but Leonard laid a hand on her arm.

"Sara, it's fine. I'm here, I'm fine. We're fine." He flickered her a certain look from under his lashes. "We could go finish the movie."

Constantine flashed them both a rather knowing grin and departed.

"Or I could pick one we'll both stay awake through," Sara countered with a smirk.

"Or…we could forgo the movie altogether."

"Captain Lance, Mr. Snart," Gideon announced primly, "I believe the phrase currently in vogue is: 'Get a room.'"

"Now that sounds like a plan," Leonard agreed.

Laughing, Sara held out her hands to pull him to his feet.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Please note a slight jump in rating.**_

* * *

The recycled ship's air was as cool as ever, but that didn't much matter to the two very contented occupants of the cozy cocoon of blankets and comforters on Sara's bed.

"Well that was…"

"Epic?" Leonard teased, gently brushing a lock of hair back from Sara's face.

She chuckled softly. "I was going to say legendary."

His self-satisfied smirk faded a trifle. "Yeah…given that around here, any variation of the word 'legend' is generally a code word for 'utterly off book and screwed up,' I'm not so sure if that's a compliment."

Sara shifted her head slightly to press a kiss over his heart. "In this case, it most definitely is."

She rearranged herself a bit, folding her arms on Leonard's chest, and resting her chin on top, so she could meet his gaze. They were so thoroughly entwined that Leonard couldn't possibly move, even were he so inclined. (He most definitely was not.) Sara's fierce determination to prove that he was alive, and safe, and _**with her**_ , had collided head-on with his own compulsion to thoroughly explore every inch of her body, with the most deliciously satisfying results.

"I know you like to plan things to the last detail, but improvisation has its place. I just wish…oh, hell, I know how much you love beautiful things, and I bought this silk…"

He laid a gentle finger over her lips. "Hey. I love _**you**_ , Sara Lance. And _**you**_ are beautiful. And considering that our clothes are currently strewn all over the floor…"

"I know. It's just I'd been in those clothes for over twenty fours hours. I…when I thought about…this…I wanted everything to be…special."

"You're here. That's all I'll ever need to make things special." His smile turned a bit mischievous. "Although…if you really feel the need to make it up to me…"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking…Rome?"

"I thought Paris was your favorite?"

"It is, but I know exactly who that curator at the Louvre is, and I don't want us getting dragged into someone else's superheroic crap."

"Leonard," Sara replied slowly, "who I am doesn't stop just because I step off the ship. I don't think I could ignore a cry for help -"

"I'd never expect you to. But can we maybe just this once try to stay out of trouble?"

"We're legends…trouble tends to find us."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Prompted by Larielromeniel. Thank you to Jael.**_

* * *

Leonard Snart frowned and tried to smooth down his tunic so as to provide a bit more coverage, as it were. "You know, when I said Rome, this is _**not**_ what I had in mind."

"I know, and I'm sorry." Sara's tone was conciliatory, but a small smirk played over her lips…she really didn't object to the lack of coverage. At all. "I'll make it up to you."

An answering smile lit Leonard's face, both in response to her words, and the fact that the flowing gown, with its single shoulder strap, suited her perfectly. "Promise?"

Sara took a half step towards him, almost unconsciously, her eyes sparkling with mischief -

"How come I gotta wear a dress?" Mick bellowed, breaking the mood entirely.

"It's a tunic," Jax replied wearily, sounding as though he'd already repeated himself.

"It's got a skirt. That makes it a dress," Mick insisted.

* * *

The team gathered around the holotable, Mick still griping about his attire.

"How come the perfessor gets a long dress instead of a miniskirt?"

"Mick. Enough," Sara told him in a tone that had some of the others edging subtly away. "We need to get into the senator's villa, retrieve William Shakespeare -"

"As well as anything he might be writing," Martin interjected.

Sara nodded. " -and his papers, and get out without causing any damage or getting into a fight." Her gaze was fixed firmly on Mick during those last words.

Martin carefully assumed his best 'lecturing' expression and tone. "Raymond and I have been studying ancient Roman villas, and we believe that this is the best entry point." He pointed to the diagram Gideon was helpfully projecting.

Leonard frowned. "Actually, I think -"

"Thank you, Mr. Snart," Martin replied rather condescendingly, "but Dr. Palmer and I have this firmly in hand."

"I think we oughtta listen to Snart," Mick declared pugnaciously. "This is a snatch and grab. Leave it to the criminals."

"I am not a criminal," Leonard said, in a harder tone than any of the Waverider crew had heard from him. "And I wish you'd stop treating me like one."

Sara looked torn between wanting to defend her lover and…well…defending her lover in front of her crew.

Jax crossed his arms and stared at his partner in outraged disbelief. "You need to stop being such a damn snob, Gray."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I may be just a dumb auto mechanic, but even I know when it's time to talk to an expert. Leonard here went to a whole bunch of schools to learn how buildings work. One of them was in Rome. I say we listen to him."

Sara flashed Jax a grateful grin. She'd known that Leonard had been to Rome before, but not that he'd studied there. She was both grateful, and a touch embarrassed, that he'd been able to speak so freely to Jax about his past.

* * *

"I cannot believe you got into a fist fight with William Shakespeare!" Sara scolded, as Gideon healed Leonard's black eye and assorted minor injuries.

"He insulted you!"

Sara pressed her lips together to contain her merriment. "Well…not that I approve, but it's not entirely his fault. By the standards of his time, the only women out and about dressed like this would be…"

"I don't care. No one gets to call my girl that," Leonard insisted stubbornly.

Sara sauntered a bit closer to his chair, putting a bit of extra sway into her hips. Leonard's eyes tracked the motion, just as she'd intended.

"Your girl, hmm?"

"Yeah. I mean…um… Oh, hell. Which part of that sentence got me in trouble? My or girl?"

Moving with predatory grace, Sara hiked up her skirt and climbed into his lap, looping both arms around his neck. Leonard wrapped his arms around her, trying to keep them both steady. Somehow, he ended up with one hand on her bare thigh (And _**how**_ had the dress gotten rucked up that far?) and the other splayed across her back.

"So," Sara purred, "if I'm your girl, does that make you my guy?"

Leonard nodded, not at all trusting his voice to come out as anything other than an embarrassing squeak.

"Good." She leaned in to kiss him.

If Gideon could sigh or roll her eyes, she'd surely be doing both. "Captain Lance, if you and Mr. Snart insist on pursuing such activities in your current position, one or both of you will require additional medical attention."

With a wicked smirk, Sara slid to her feet, allowing her hands to trail down Leonard's shoulders and arms until she could grab his hands.

"How does an advanced artificial intelligence unit from centuries in the future -"

"Manage to sound like a Victorian school marm?" Sara finished his thought.

"I heard that," Gideon informed them crisply.


	9. Chapter 9

Leonard entered Sara's quarters to find her curled in the corner of the couch.

"Hey…you didn't come to dinner. You all right?"

She straightened up, sniffling a bit and swiping at her eyes. "I'm fine."

"You're not," he replied firmly. He knelt in front of her and took her hands.

"It's…um…it's Laurel's birthday. Would have been." She shook her head slightly, recalling that Leonard might not have heard the story. "My sister. She's…gone now." It was easier to say it that way.

"I'm sorry. I know nothing really helps, but, please…is there anything I can do? Anything I can get for you?"

She tugged on his hands, and he settled next to her on the couch, letting her curl up against his chest. "You're doing it."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "If you want to talk about her, I'm here."

"Not right now," she murmured.

"OK."

"You never talk about Lisa," she said quietly.

"Who?"

Sara tilted her head up. "Lisa. Your sister?"

"I don't have a sister. Other-me did?"

Sara nodded.

"Older or younger?"

"Younger. He practically raised her."

"How come?" Leonard asked curiously.

"His father was in and out of prison - and they were usually better off when Lewis was inside. Their mom…he never said, and I never asked. I can't imagine there was any good ending to that story."

Leonard was silent for a long, long moment. "My father died when I was five. He got involved in some screwed up plot to steal a jewel from a museum. One of his so-called partners turned on him and shot him. Dad's captain was a good man…he kept quiet about his suspicions so Mom and I would get his survivor's benefits. The cops from his precinct were always nice to us. It took me years to realize that it wasn't kindness...it was pity. I went to community college on a scholarship from the CCPD. After that, I made my own way."

"Is your mom still back there - on your earth, I mean?"

"No. She did see me graduate from college."

Sara had no words for that, so she just cuddled a little closer. That was fine with Leonard.

"So…he had a sister?" he finally asked.

"Yup. A younger one. Like me."

"Did you ever meet her?"

"Once, briefly. She's a thief, of course."

"Of course," Leonard agreed.

"A good one, like he was. She's smart and sassy, and I like her, a lot. Would you…someday, I mean…"

"I don't know," Leonard replied thoughtfully. "I…it might be painful for her."

Sara made a disconsolate sort of noise. "If I had a chance to see my sister again…"

"It's not quite the same thing," he reminded her.

"I s'pose not."

She was silent for so long that Leonard began to think maybe she'd drifted off.

"Laurel is the one who believed in me. After everything I did, she still thought I could be a hero. She's the one who encouraged me to join the Legends." She shuddered a bit in his arms. "And then, when she needed me, I wasn't there."

"When was that?" he asked carefully.

"Our first mission. Vandal Savage."

He'd heard details from some of the others. "Saving the world from an immortal psychopath was pretty important."

"It was, but the cost was so high."

Ah. They weren't just talking about her sister anymore.

"If you hadn't joined that mission, you wouldn't be here now. _**We**_ wouldn't be here now. I'm glad we are."

"So am I," Sara mumbled into his shirtfront. "I just wish…"

"Yeah…so do I."


	10. Chapter 10

Sara Lance woke to the sensation of soft kisses and feather-light caresses tracing the length of her spine. She drew in a deep, contented breath and the motions ceased, one hand resting lightly at the small of her back, just at the edge of the sheet.

"What're you up to?" she mumbled sleepily, voice muted by the pillows.

"You hit that wall pretty hard. I was just…checking to make sure all those contusions had healed properly," Leonard replied. "And that there was no loss of…sensitivity."

"Mmm. Pretty sure Gideon could have answered that."

"Maaaybe…but sometimes, it's better to check these things manually."

Sara propped herself up on one elbow with a sultry little smirk. She knew such boldness was new for Leonard, and although she'd made it amply clear that she didn't need - or want - him to change, this was just too much fun to resist. "Ooohhh…manually?"

His façade faltered a bit then. "I needed to see you open your eyes," he confessed.

"Hey - it's fine. I'm right here. You know why? Because you had the skills to get us all out of a collapsing building intact. Not me, not Martin, not Ray - _**you**_. I'm fine," she repeated.

Leonard made a show of eyeing her body. "Yes, you certainly are."

Sara rolled onto her side, causing his hand to trail from her back to her side, fingertips stroking delicately along her ribcage.

"You know, I came down pretty hard on this hip," she murmured speculatively, guiding his hand.

He slid the sheet away from her bare hip. "This-this hip?" he stuttered.

"Yeah, that one. Maybe you should check and make sure there's no loss of…sensitivity."

"Maybe I should."

* * *

Sara was still grinning when she finally left her quarters in search of, well, definitely not breakfast. Lunch? Mid-afternoon snack, maybe? Her thoughts were filled with rather delightful musings on a warm mouth and sensitive hands, and the feel of close-cropped hair against her skin.

"Hey, Sara - how you feeling?" Jax greeted, his voice jarring her from her thoughts as he fell into step beside her. "You took a pretty bad hit last night."

"I'm fine," Sara managed, corralling her wayward thoughts. She hoped. "Leonard took very good care of me."

Jax scrunched up his face in mock horror. "Whoa! Too much information!"

"Shut it," Sara grumbled good-naturedly, cuffing him lightly on the shoulder.

"Seriously, though. He's a good guy. And none of us woulda made it out of there last night without him."

"That's for sure," Sara agreed.

"And he…um, I mean, you and him…aw, hell…"

Sara smiled and took pity on her young friend. "He makes me very happy," she said simply.

"Good. I'm glad, really. You deserve that."

"So does he."

"Yeah, he does." Sara stopped then, laying a hand on Jax's arm. "Jax, thank you."

"For?"

"For being his friend. For accepting that he's his own man. It means a lot to him. And to me."

Jax grinned. "Hey - like I said - he's a good guy. And you both deserve a break. Now, what say we go check out that chocolate cheesecake that Ray programmed into the replicator?"

Sara bumped her shoulder against his. "Sounds like a plan."

"After all," Jax added slyly, "you've got keep up your strength."

That earned him another swat.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Afterwards, Jax would argue that the entire mess could have been avoided if Leonard didn't insist on using the exact same model sketchbook for everything. Leonard would counter that his shipmates really needed to learn the meaning of the word 'privacy.' Sara just smiled the smile of someone who wouldn't be facing KP or bathroom duty for a long, long time.**_

* * *

All his life, Leonard Snart had held a deep and abiding appreciation for beautiful things. As a child, his first outlet for that love was pencil and paper. He was frequently scolded by teachers for 'scribbling' in his school books. It was - perhaps not so surprisingly - a math teacher, who was struck by the balance and symmetry of the boy's drawings, and set about getting him into an advanced art program.

Eventually, the boy grew into a man, and the casual sketches gave way to formal building schematics which could be used to transform Leonard's visions to actual structures. Still, the habit persisted, and Leonard was seldom without drawing materials. He was amassing a book of structures both historical and futuristic that he'd seen in their travels. Then there was what he called his 'dream book' - early stage ideas of things he'd like to build, if could ever find investors for the projects. There was a book of action sketches of the Legends, which fascinated Jax, and one book that was private. Very, very private.

* * *

"Jefferson, I really don't think this is a good idea," Martin muttered, glancing nervously up and down the corridor outside Sara's door.

"I'm telling you, man, it's for his own good! I know a guy in Central City who knows a guy could set Leonard up on a whole new career."

"Perhaps he doesn't want a new career. And besides, I do think you should ask permission first -"

Jax fiddled with the lock and the door slid open.

"You could have just asked, Mr. Jackson," Gideon chided.

"Yeah, but would you have opened it without telling Sara?"

"What makes you think I will not tell her that you opened it?" the AI countered.

Jax rolled his eyes. "Gideon, I'm tryna do Leonard a favor, awright?" He stepped briskly into the room.

"I still don't understand why you're in the captain's quarters," Martin said worriedly.

"Gray, when's the last time you saw Leonard actually use his own room?"

"I'm quite certain that's none of my - or anyone else's - business."

"Got it!" Jax crowed, spying a sketchbook half-hidden under a pillow on the rumpled bed.

"Well, get out of there!"

Grinning, Jax stepped back into the corridor and the door slid shut behind him. "He'll thank me for this. You'll see."

He pressed the book into Martin's hands. "Go on. Take a look and tell me you can't see Leonard with his own line of graphic novels.

Martin opened the book - then promptly slammed it shut. "Put this back right now," he instructed, cheeks flaming.

"What - why?"

"Jefferson, you should be ashamed of yourself."

"What?"

Glaring, Martin pushed the book away.

Perplexed at his partner's reaction, Jax peeked inside. "Oh, crap."

"Exactly. Now put it back!"

"Hey, guys!" Ray called cheerfully, ambling towards them. "Oh, wow - is that Leonard's sketchbook?" He reached out to grab the book before a shell-shocked Jax could stop him. "Can I see? I just love his eye for…de…tail… Um. I really think you ought to put this back where you found it, before Sara-"

"Before Sara what?" their captain asked in a pleasantly bland tone that fooled absolutely no one. "What are you all doing outside my door?" She spied the book in Ray's hands. "And what are you doing with one of Leonard's books?"

"We - ah - found this in the galley," Ray stammered.

"Uh-huh. Give it here."

Ray handed her the book, then took a rather obvious step back.

Sara glanced quickly at the book, then back up to her errant crew members. She knew damn well that Leonard would never have left that particular book anywhere but one of their rooms. She purposely kept her expression blank and her tone neutral. "Gideon, from now on, Leonard is the only other person allowed in my room."

"Of course, Captain," the AI replied - _**smugly?**_ \- was that even possible?

"Um, Sara?" Ray stuttered.

She turned back with a small smile.

"You're - ah- you're not mad at us, are you? I mean…nobody meant…"

"No, Ray. I'm not mad. I will, however, be posting a new chore roster later today." With that, Sara disappeared into her room.

* * *

Leonard found her there later, leafing through the book.

Sara was comfortable in her own skin, having made peace with her past. Still, seeing the way Leonard's beauty-loving eyes had lingered on the flawless works of art in museums had made her a tad self conscious of her many scars. It had taken a good bit of coaxing on his part to convince her that the scars didn't bother him. That they were proof of her survival, and without those scars, they never would have met.

Still, words were one thing, but these sketches…

"Is this really how you see me?" Sara breathed, with a note of wonder in her voice.

"It is," Leonard replied gravely, settling next to her and resting his chin on her shoulder to see the pages. "And I'll do whatever it takes to convince you of that."

Sara flickered a wickedly merry glance from under her lashes. "I don't need more convincing, but I'd certainly enjoy it. And it's not as if you or I have anything as mundane as chores to attend to in the foreseeable future."

"Do I even want to ask?"

"Nope."


	12. Chapter 12

_**For the Captain Canary Week prompt: "Established Relationship."**_

 _ **Takes place after *that* episode of Arrow, because seriously?**_

* * *

John Constantine tipped the bellman, then shut the door quietly.

"Posh," he remarked, eyeing the luxurious hotel suite.

"Courtesy of ARGUS," Leonard replied wearily, glancing over his shoulder to the closed bedroom door. "Mr. Diggle arranged it."

Constantine clearly heard - and shared - the anger that underlay the exhaustion in Leonard's voice. He understood all the drama surrounding Queen's arrest, but damnit - Sara had lost her father. Arranging a place for her to stay was the very least one of the resident heroes could do.

He pressed his lips together and very firmly reminded himself that picking a fight with the locals would do no one any good. Instead, he gestured to the two garment bags that the bellman had hung up. "Proper duds for the funeral, courtesy of Gideon, so it should all fit. Amaya packed you both some regular clothes."

"Thank her for us, would you?"

"'Course, mate. How's Sara holding up?"

Leonard sighed heavily. "First her sister, now this. She blames herself - for not being here; for not getting the chance to say goodbye…"

"I understand the city took over the funeral arrangements?"

Leonard rubbed the back of his neck. "It's…shall we say, a mixed blessing."

"Our girl doesn't do well with sitting back and doing nothing."

"Yeah. At least…it would have been something for her to focus on, you know?"

"You'll tell her that we're all of us thinking of her?"

"Of course."

"And if there's anything -"

"Actually…" Leonard hesitated, not entirely sure of what it was he was even asking. "Is there…could you…she didn't get to say goodbye…"

Constantine smiled with a good deal more compassion than people generally gave him credit for. "I did…what you might call a surface scan. Quentin Lance has moved on. He's at rest. He was a good man, not without his problems - I won't call 'em demons because I've met the real thing, and I don't use that word lightly. But the central fact of his life was his love for his daughters. And Sara knows that. She doesn't need to hear it from me."

Leonard nodded again. "Did you get the -?"

Constantine slapped his coat pockets, finally producing a bag from the Star City Aquarium. "I did indeed. Not quite sure I understand, but I got it."

Leonard snuck a glance inside the bag and smiled. "It's perfect. Thank you."

Constantine offered his hand. "You look after her."

"Always."

* * *

Leonard sat propped against the headboard, perusing his tablet. He tried to keep still, and not disturb Sara's sorely needed rest, but she'd sensed his presence and turned towards his warmth, one small hand reaching out until she connected with his knee.

Eventually her eyes blinked open and slowly focused on the gray fuzzy object on her pillow. Sara propped herself up on one elbow, and smiled tremulously at the plush shark with its oddly endearing toothy grin. "You remembered," she murmured.

"Of course I did. I thought about roses, but you know, there is a certain logic to an assassin with a toy shark."

Sara smiled halfheartedly and pressed into his side, cuddling her new toy.

"How are you doing?" Leonard asked quietly.

"I miss him." Sara's eyes filled and brimmed over. "I'm angry that I wasn't here to save him, and that I didn't get to say goodbye. Again. And I'm so sad that he didn't get to meet you. He would have liked you. Once I explained that you were from another Earth, and not a wanted felon, that is."

"He would have been OK with that? The whole 'other Earth' thing?"

"After all he's seen the last few years? It would have taken a lot more than that to faze him. Mom, I'm not so sure…but I guess…we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?"

Leonard leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "It will be my honor."

"See, you say that now…"

Leonard slouched down into the pillows, arranging Sara - and her shark - comfortably on his chest. "Time to meet the family."

"For better or for worse?"


	13. Chapter 13

Being the significant other of a time traveling super hero wasn't without its challenges. One of those challenges was getting a good night's sleep. There were alarms and alerts in the middle of the night. There were…celebrations. (Of one form or another.) There were the nights when Sara's past, or Leonard's own, resurfaced in the form of nightmares.

And then there were nights like tonight, when Leonard was being kicked and poked (however unintentionally) by a bedmate who was struggling to get comfortable after a long day of kicking the asses of a collection of very bad people.

"You want me to get you something for the pain?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Crap. I'm sorry. I'll go sleep in my office."

"You'll do nothing of the sort. You'll stay right here while I go get you something from medbay."

"Mr. Snart," Gideon announced, sounding slightly apologetic, "I regret that I cannot give Captain Lance any pain medication, owing to the blow to her head."

"I told you, it's nothing," Sara insisted, rather plaintively.

"Nonetheless, Captain, I must follow established medical protocols."

"Thanks for nothing," Sara muttered. She squirmed around a bit more.

Leonard propped himself up on one elbow. "What hurts?"

Sara groaned in reply.

"I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong," he coaxed.

"I…ugh. I can't sleep on my left hip, but my right shoulder is giving me hell, too."

"Welcome to my world."

"You mean the geriatric ward?" Sara asked sweetly.

"Ha. Ha, ha, ha. Come on," he cajoled, "let's see what we can do about this shoulder of yours."

He ran his hand down Sara's arm, coaxing her to straighten the offending appendage. She grumbled and griped, but allowed him to help her rotate her arm, and apply gentle pressure to help her stretch it out.

"Better?"

Another groan.

Leonard chuckled quietly. "Come on, tough girl." He guided her to lean back against him.

"I'm keeping you up," she protested.

"Not if you lay back and close your eyes and go to sleep."

"M'not five."

"You're doing a great impression of it. Sleep, Sara."


End file.
